5 natural home remedies for eczema treatment

The medical term for eczema is dermatitis. The skin develops rash on any part of the body, such as the back of the knees and neck. It can be confined to a small area, but then spread to a larger area on the skin. Sometimes, blisters appear that swell, ooze and scab.

While eczema is not caused by poor hygiene, the treatment for the skin disorder is dependent on regular cleaning with soap and water. Eczema can be caused by a number of things including; contact with certain cosmetics, jewelry, plants, skin cream and chemicals used to make clothing.

Treatment of eczema

Bathing

Taking a bath at least once a day, then moisturizing immediately after is helpful. It washes allergens, pollutants and other irritants from the skin and keeps it hydrated. Apply moisturizer while skin is still damp, it locks water into the skin and ultimately, hydrates better. It’s still very important to apply lotion on dry skin, too, in order to achieve sustained hydration.

Aloe vera

Aloe vera gel is rich in anti-inflammatory and healing compounds and provides a nice cooling sensation for itchy skin. If you have eczema, consider getting an aloe plant so you can take the gel straight from its natural source. Squeeze and extract the gel and apply on the affected area.

Vitamin D

In addition to bathing and aloe, supplementing with vitamin D rich foods like cod liver oil, sardines, salmon, eggs and raw milk may help prevent eczema. Also increase your exposure to sun, consider boosting your intake with a high-quality supplement. Preliminary research shows that low vitamin D levels during pregnancy and during childhood may increase the risk for developing eczema.

Use mild laundry detergent

Forget the flowery, sweet scented and fancy soaps. You need something mild and fragrance-free. That’s because they have fewer chemicals, which lessens the chances of irritating your skin. Fragrance-free, dye-free laundry detergents for sensitive skin often say “free and clear” on the label.

Coconut Oil

We use it for skin, hair, teeth, health and even soap making at our house, but it is also great for eczema as long as you are not allergic or intolerant to coconut. A thin layer of coconut oil or a coconut oil lotion bar helps cool eczema itching and pain.

Apple cider vinegar

Apple cider vinegar may provide a more natural way to address the yeast, as it has some anti-yeast properties and could help restore the skin’s natural healthy state in that it is slightly acidic. When our skin is a little more acidic (pH around 5), it stays strong and bacteria can’t grow well.

Conversely, if skin is more alkaline, or basic, then it begins to break down and bacteria levels increase. Patients who don’t like the concept of bleach baths can try apple cider vinegar baths as a safe and gentle possible treatment.

Felix Ntifo is a Registered General Nurse who has so much passion to improve health care delivery. He founded FelClinic with the hope of making health information accessible to everyone who may not come in contact with him personally.
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